Nightingale
by Orange Blossom Nin
Summary: When lights go off and doors are closed what happens to them? A man reaching out for a cold heart and a woman trying to resist...I didn't add the disclaimer so I don't own CB or Nightingale by Norah Jones


The sheets were cool as she buried her nose into them, breathing deeply; they smelled of smoke, grease and sweat. But to her it smelled like him, he had barely ever slept in this room but still it was his scent. If she closed her eyes she could still imagine him as he was before, obnoxious puffy green hair and crooked smile with his ever-present wrinkled blue suit.  
  
She flipped over onto her back and stared up at the ceiling the fan slowly rotated above trying valiantly to do its job. She smiled, ironic; that's how they all felt, they turn but still it matters not. The day had been one of sad memories and forgotten tears as they had occupied themselves with mundane tasks to keep their minds off of it, off of what had become of them.  
  
Perhaps he had never known maybe he had just watched from the corner of his eye, but he had never believed it. Not her or her masks, never her love for him, she was one not to be trusted just to be put up with and be ignored. But she had slipped before him and he had left, she often wondered, did he regret it?  
  
'Nightingale  
  
Sing us a song  
  
Of a love that once belonged '  
  
The bell peppers on the plate before her were laced with hidden spices that made it seemingly special. Slowly and methodically she ate, all alone, no longer did she care for company, they would only bring noise and hurt. Her chopsticks rested lightly in her hand as she slowly brought them to her mouth more out of habit than hunger.  
  
The yellow and green crunched beneath her teeth, the fan above her gave off a slight buzzing noise, and the ship around her creaked and rumbled as they passed through the gate. He had never forgotten his blue dream, she betrayed him and yet he still came running for her. To her it was ridiculous, men and their annoying ideas of devotion and love, that's why women can sink their claws in deep enough to rip them apart when they move on, leaving an empty pathetic shell behind.  
  
Standing up she left her half-empty plate sitting on the small table and slowly walked into the hallway. Glancing up she let her eyes rest on the five holes in the ceiling before her, five not six. The last one was a reminder of when her heart had begun to fall, hard, that bullet represented everything she hated and despised about humans and emotions. Love eventually leads to sorrow which leads to hate and then finally despair.  
  
No, she didn't need that in her life, not anymore, not ever. Her heart was now shut off with walls of ice and stone never again would they fall for anyone.  
  
'Nightingale  
  
Tell me your tale  
  
Was your journey far too long?'  
  
The door to her room was open as it came into view, she took note of it but it didn't faze her, it could only mean one thing. Coming to the doorway she leaned against it the light from the hallway molding her figure into the dark room. He sat on her bed his lanky figure hidden in the shadows his hands folded so that they hid his mouth, but the way his eyes were placed made his frown obvious.  
  
"See something you don't like?" she asked her voice cold as silk, her hair falling across her forehead angelically hiding her emerald orbs that were hard and brittle with no tears left to cry.  
  
"Just wondering" was his reply, she smiled with harsh laughter hidden in her mouth and walked over to her dresser. She picked up her brush and softly pulled it through her short velvety purple hair looking up she could see his reflection in her eyes as she looked in the mirror before her.  
  
"About what?" she questioned. His arms came down as he leaned back onto the bed his eyes trained on her back. His amber and brown eyes clear and strong yet hidden with conflicting emotions as her arm gracefully repeated the motion of brushing her hair.  
  
"About you" he said simply in a monotone but it was enough to make her pause the brush in mid-air. Her eyes glazed over and for a moment the room was frozen, then the brush began to move again.  
  
'Does it seem like I'm looking for an answer  
  
To a question I can't ask I don't know which way the feather falls  
  
Or if I should blow it to the left'  
  
He silently stood and walked over to her, her breath caught in her chest as he stood behind her his breath slowly playing across her porcelain like skin. Suppressing a shudder she tried to keep her arm moving but his hand came up to gently grab her wrist making it stop. She didn't dare turn around as she stared straight ahead into the mirror. His head dipped as he nibbled on her neck making her skin begin to heat up.  
  
Grabbing her waist with his other hand he turned her so they were face to face. "Trust Me," he whispered. She couldn't move her legs suddenly frozen to the spot as he gently to her hand holding the brush and slipped his mouth around one of the pale slim fingers.  
  
The brush dropped to the floor as he guided her to the bed still sucking and licking at her fingers. Lowering her to the bed he slipped off his jacket and let his tie fall to the floor. She closed her eyes and felt tears well up into her eyes as he pulled her close to him.  
  
"You don't want me" she whispered, "You want her" he never paused as she said those words. But simply kept licking at her fingers and making his way up her arm trailing kisses as he went.  
  
"But I need you" he said finally his voice husky with desire and maybe something more. She didn't say anything as he slowly lowered his lips onto hers and she found herself responding to the thin lips atop her full ones. Slipping his tongue into her mouth he explored the inside of her mouth moving his tongue over and around hers as she did the same.  
  
Wrapping her arms around his neck she pulled him closer to her as his kisses melted onto her skin "Promise me you won't regret this" she said breathlessly finding that she could barely talk.  
  
She could feel his eyes on her face even as he was beginning to slowly open the front of her shirt "No" he said "I won't regret this" he said and softly gave her another kiss as she wrapped her slim fingers around the buttons on his shirt making them separate from their holes.  
  
'Nightingale  
  
Sing us a song  
  
Of a love that once belonged'  
  
The smoke whirled around her senses were she laid, her back to him, she could feel his heat, the heat that had been hers only a few hours ago. She quietly stared at the metal wall next to her not daring to say anything.  
  
His dark orbs stared up at the ceiling her presence acutely aware to him as his cigarette slowly burned from the space between his fingers. A soft wrinkled white sheet stretched from his lower body to cover her, as they simply lay there not willing to move. Vainly she wished that this moment wouldn't end that it was simply be stored in a pocket of time so they wouldn't have to go back to reality.  
  
A soft rustling invaded her thoughts as his body came closer to hers and a tanned arm draped over her waist. "Goodnight" he whispered softly into her ear. She closed her eyes softly as his lips barely touched her cheek; quietly he rose from the bed and slipped back into his clothes. She could hear him open the door, pause and then close it careful not to disturb her.  
  
Her eyes stayed closed as she felt sleep capture her in its gentle grasp and slowly she drifted away from everything to the forgiving gentleness of rest and dreams. And perhaps he would be waiting for her there with love to give to a woman that was aching without it.  
  
'Nightingale  
  
Tell me your tale  
  
Was your journey far too long?'  
  
He came back hours later, softly creeping onto the ship. His eyes were ringed with red and his step uneven. He limped through the hallway his healing wound complaining with every step. As he came past her closed door he paused, his stance getting straighter until he was standing upright. Closing his eyes for a moment he leaned his head against her door his ears straining for any sound within those closed walls.  
  
Silence, a frustrated sigh escaped his lips and slowly he found himself opening the door, pushing it gently he saw her form lying on the bed just as he had left her. His stomach still ached as he walked to the bed but his mind ignored it as he sat on the edge of the bed the door swinging shut behind him.  
  
Slipping his shoes off he swung his lower body up onto the bed and softly gathered her into his arms. This was right this was what he needed and nothing else; she muttered something softly under her breath and moved her body so her face was nestled into her chest. A smile graced his face as he studied her and her beauty suddenly struck him leaving him breathless as his love finally blossomed into a soft white bloom that stroked her cheek.  
  
No more would he run this is where he wanted to be and he would never let it go. Slowly he laid his head atop hers and his eyes closed as he let himself fly away to join her in dreamland.  
  
Happiness is a beautiful thing, sacrifice and patience is often needed to make it happen but sometimes a simple thing, a song, a picture, a perfect moment or even a person can surround your senses and bring you home.  
  
'All the voices that are spinnin' around me  
  
Trying to tell me what to say  
  
Can I fly right behind you  
  
And you can take me away' 


End file.
